James l



(No Model.)

J. L. HATCH.

HEEL STIFPENER MAGHINE.

Patented July 27, 1886.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES L. HATCH, OF ROCHESTER, NEV YORK.

HEEL-STIFFENER MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 346,100. dated July 27,1886.

Application led May 20, 1886.

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs L. HATCH, of Rochester, county of Monroe, andState of New York, have invented an Improvement in Machines for theManufacture of Heel or Counter Stiffeners for Boots and Shoes, of whichthe following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings,is aspeeification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention is an improvement upon that described in United StatesLetters Patent No. 809,223, granted to me December I6, 1884. The patentreferred to shows a head-block provided with spring-arms which, justprior to the action of the flange-laying device, are pressed inwardlytoward the center of the heel form to thereby effectually hold thecounter from slipping thereon while the flangelaying device is beingoperated. In my present invention I provide the said arms 'with aflexible mold having a covering of suitable shape to lit the heel-formexternally, or to reach around the heelform between the junction of themold with the springs and the head-block, the said mold affordingadditional means to hold the counter immovably, and to mold it toheel-form of any desired shape.

Figure 1, in top or plan view,'shows a sufficient portion of a machinefor manufacturing heel or counter stiffeners to enable my invention tobe understood 5 Fig. 2, a section of Fig. l in the dotted line fr x;Fig. 3, a right-hand elevation of Fig. l; Fig. 4, a top or plan viewenlarged of the head, its attached springs and strap; and Fig. 5 is asection of Fig. 4 in the dotted line a" x.

The frame-work A, plate S, the flange-laying slide or shovel F, theslide-rod D, the head M, heel-form H, plates c4, and rollerstuds c3, areall substantially as in my said patent, to which reference may be had,the said parts being therein designated by like letters. Herein thesprings ce, attached tothe head M of the bolts a', are bent outwardly,as at 2, so as to carry the springs away from the corners 3 3 of thehead, and to prevent the springs acting against the mold e, to bedescribed, at the sides of the heel-form. The outer ends of the springsa have riveted or bolted to them blocks ai, to which are also attachedthe wings c2, substantially such as shown in the said patent, the saidwings run- Serial No. 202,736. (No model.)

ning against the said roller-studs when the springs are to be forcedinwardly to cause the mold e to hold the counter or stiffener upon theheel-form. y

In the drawings, l represents the flange of the stiffener or counterapplied to the heelform.

Instead of causing the inner sides of the springs connected with thehead from bearing directly against the sti lfener or counter to hold thelatter on the heel-form, as in the said patent, I have provided a moldof strong exible material, as c-such as steel, brass, leather, rawhide,or other substitutes for leather. This mold is bolted to the ends of thesprings at 6, and to the head at 7.

In operation, as the head is moved forward to place the flexible mold incontact with the stiffener or counter at the end of the heelform, thewings meet the roller-studs and the springs are forced inwardly at theends to force the mold against the sides of the stiffener or counter onthe heel-form, as or about as, or a little after, the said mold, whereit is riveted to the head M, meets the said stif'lener, the said moldacting with great power to hold the stiffener or counter against theheel-for1n while the flange-turner F is moved forward in usual manner torub down or set the flange d of the counter or stiffener.

It will be noticed that the mold e is without joint or hinge, and thesprings open and close the mold to embrace the stiffener on theheelform.

The flexible mold, before being attached to the headpiece, is bent orhammered to the exact shape of the heelform over which the counter is tobe formed, and the outside springs do not press against thisinsideflexible mold along its sides, but simply act to carry inwardlythe ends of the mold at the point at which the mold is attached to thesprings, the mold holding the counter or stifener so firmly that itscorners do not get out of place when the fiange is being shaped and setfor the linished counter.

My improved flexible mold is shaped in cross-section, as well aslongitudinally, to conform to the shape of the heel-form and therefromdiffers essentially in operation from a plain strip or band.

I claim- ICO In a machine for the manufacture or treatof the stiffeneror counter, substantially as set ro ment of heel stiffeners or counters,a heeiforth. form, the ilange burning device, a concaved In testimonywhereof I have signed my name reciprocating head, springs, and arms a a,comto this specification in the presence of two subbined with a flexiblemold, substantially such scribing witnesses.

as described, connected to the said arms and JAMES L, HATCH. head, andoperating to hold the sbiffener or TWitnesses:

counter in position upon the heel-form While WV. YV. WEBB,

the ange-t-urning device lays or sets the iange M. H. MCMATH.

